First Corinthians chapter 11, and today we'll read for our text the same text that we read last week, verses two through 16. First Corinthians chapter 11, beginning of verse two. Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions just as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man. The man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying shames his head, but every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying shames her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut short. But it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut short or her head shaved, let her cover her head. For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of man. For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man. For indeed, man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. Therefore, the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman, but all things originate from God. Judge for yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering. But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God. In 2003, I was in Sacramento, California, visiting Brother Fred Roberts, the church out there. And at the time I was missionary to New Mexico, and so I was visiting churches. Brother Roberts and I began talking about the head covering issue, and he handed me a folder, a folder full of material that he had gathered for a series that he had recently preached on the head covering. It's over a hundred and some pages long, printed, double-sided, and as I looked at that, it's been over 20 years ago, I remember my mind was blown at so much material for a series, and I was just young at the time, and I said to him, I said, well, how long did you preach this series? And if memory serves me right, he said it took him about a year to preach through this text. I've still got that folder and I've looked it over multiple times since then, but rest assured, I don't plan to I don't plan to be in this text for over a year. I appreciate Brother Roberts and his thoroughness in preaching this text in Sacramento and taking some time here on his study and for sharing it with me and all of those things. Of course, if you're keeping track, if you count the time that I spent on verses two and three, this is my third message from this text, and this will be my last, I believe. My title for this final message on this passage is a final word on the head covering, final word on the head covering. Neither Paul nor the Holy Spirit intended for this passage, for 1 Corinthians chapter 11, verses 2 through 16. I don't believe this passage was intended for it to be a divisive passage. Nor was it intended to be a club to use against people who differ or disagree with our interpretation of it. It's not intended for us to take it and be arrogant with it or anything of that nature. I believe it is important, but I don't believe that we ought to take it and be arrogant with it. You go back to my last sermon, it is available on Sermon Audio and on YouTube. There's an outline here as to why the head covering. First, there's the argument of universal headship, verses three through five. Secondly, is the argument of the order of creation, verses seven through nine. The third argument given is the angels, verse 10. The fourth argument is an argument from nature, verses 14 and 15. And then, of course, the fifth argument that's given is that this is apostolic authority and common practice in all of the New Testament churches, verse 16. I believe it's important to know these things Because if you don't know the why behind it, then nothing else matters. Nothing else matters. And that's true with anything. That's true with anything. But missing from this text are directions as far as material, size, shape, and those sorts of things that sometimes good Baptists will get and argue about. He doesn't say that it's right or wrong to have a hat or to use certain types of materials and all of those sorts of things. Oddly enough, even though there are only 15 or 16 verses here, yet in some circles this has become a major, major issue. Indeed, indeed. You walk into some churches and they're very zealous about it. You walk in and you're met with a track rack like what we have in the front there, and you'll find prominently displayed tracks and booklets on the subject. And in some churches, I've even heard of some Bible conferences where an announcement is made that if you don't have one, if a lady doesn't have one, that to see sister so-and-so or brother so-and-so and one will be provided. I think these churches and these pastors have a great zeal about the truth, but I do believe that this is misguided. Sure, I'm not going to say that this doesn't matter. But, as I said in the first message, or the second message, last week's sermon, I'll put it that way, that to make this text a test of fellowship, or text of division, or a test of membership, or even to tell a visitor that they need to put one on is to miss the point. To miss the point. When we get into this text and really explore the underlying issues that are going on here, the why behind it, to tell a person you've got to put on a covering and they don't understand the why, all you've done is created a hypocrite in a lot of times. If I go to a church, And there's a bunch of women who have a covering on. That doesn't tell me anything about that woman except that she believes that she is to wear a covering or she's being forced to wear a covering. It does not mean that she is any more submissive to her husband, any more godly than any other woman who doesn't wear a covering, you see. Indeed, any old hypocrite can put on a covering, but what about the heart? What about the heart? And as I go through this text, and as I hear a lot of different sermons on sermon audio, and if you're like me, you've grown up in churches, maybe you've been to conferences, and you've heard sermon after sermon on this subject, the question comes, if indeed, as Paul writes, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the way he writes here, that it was the practice of the churches. Why is it that we don't read more of it in the New Testament? Why is it that we don't read more about the covering? And I would argue that it's because the focus was not on the outward so much as what it was on the underlying why behind it. And so today, for a few moments, I'd like for us to consider that. I've laid down the arguments, the outline that was given in the last message. I gave the outline briefly already here in this sermon, but I want us to notice some things that we find in the New Testament, in the writings that we find here. And so to the church at Ephesus, look what is written in Ephesians chapter five. Ephesians chapter five. Search all of the letter, the epistle to the church at Ephesus, you'll not find a mention about the head covering. I believe it was practiced. But what you do find is a teaching about headship in Ephesians chapter five, verse 22. Wives, be subject to your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her. so that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself, for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of his body. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother, be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great, but I'm speaking with reference to Christ in the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife, even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband." And so we see here, as Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus, he's teaching by Christ in the church, and by the way, By the way, as he teaches here, Christ being the head of the church, he's not talking about some universal church, he's writing to a local church, the church at Ephesus. He's writing about this picture that's given, a local visible wife, a local visible husband, okay? And as he writes here, he's giving this picture, and a lot of these same themes that he's giving here are the same underlying themes that we find in 1 Corinthians 11. These are foundational. And all this is a heart issue. Headship, God's ordained headships. Wives be subject to your own husbands as to the Lord. The husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is also the head of the church. As the church is subject to Christ, so the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. You see how this is being presented. He goes back to the creative order. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. Verse 33, each individual among you is to love his own wife, even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. Over in Colossians, to the church at Colossae, look at how it's presented there. Colossians chapter three, verses 18 through 25. Wives, be subject to your husbands as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children so that they will not lose heart. Slaves, in all things, obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service as men-pleasers, but with integrity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. So again, this ordained headship, this order that God has put in place, this is what's being taught here. Was the covering a part of their worship? Yes, but what's being taught is headship. You can search the epistle But there's no mention of the covering in Colossians. But what's being taught is the order. But it wasn't Paul that was writing this way. Sometimes you hear guys, especially those who want to teach that women are equal with men insofar as that women have a place in the pulpit and that sort of thing. And so sometimes they'll say, well, Paul just hated women. Paul had it out for women and blah, blah, blah, they'll say. But it wasn't Paul who was the only one who was teaching this way. Look over there at what Peter wrote to the saints who were scattered in 1 Peter 3. 1 Peter 3 and verse 1. 1 Peter 3 and verse 1. In the same way, you wives be subject to your own husbands, so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, as they observe your pure conduct with fear. Your adornment must not merely be external, braiding of the hair and wearing gold jewelry or putting on garment, but let it be the hidden person of the heart. with the incorruptible quality of a lowly and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way, in former times, the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves being subject to their own husbands. Just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, you have become her children, if you do good, not fearing any intimidation. You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of God so that your prayers will not be hindered. Now to sum up, all of you being like-minded, sympathetic, brotherly, tender-hearted, and humble in spirit, not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but giving a blessing instead, for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. So again, Peter, in writing to these scattered saints, he didn't write to remind them, hey, when you scatter, I know you might be away from your home churches, so don't forget to put on your covering when you gather to worship. It was the common practice among the churches. And yes, it's important, but he wrote along the same lines that Paul did. Because it's easy just to put on a hat. That's the easy part. You see? That's simple. But he wrote, and he said, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Even if they are disobedient, they may be won by the conduct of their wives. That's difficult stuff. Giving the example of Abraham and Sarah. Sarah called him Lord. And even as he wrote, To the husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way as with a weaker vessel. And I know some people get all upset at that. And if it makes you feel any better, think of it this way. You husbands, you're weak. It's not that you're strong. We're weak. Our wives are weaker. So no, it's not just Paul that was writing the way he wrote. This is all the scripture and all of it was God breathed, all of it coming from the Holy Spirit. And all of these letters were being written and they were all being written to the churches. They were being passed around, circulated. And then now here we are, we have the entirety of the New Testament. Well, we only find a few verses written to the church at Corinth. And in that letter, we find just a few verses about the covering to understand that this is a common practice. We can either look at this and say, well, it's only a few verses, so it doesn't matter. That's the wrong attitude. But on the flip side, the wrong attitude is, let's squabble and argue over the covering itself and miss the point. And so what I say is that As churches have squabbled and argued and divided over hats and veils and materials and the outward, for the last couple of generations, churches have missed the teaching that should have been happening. over in Titus chapter two. Titus was not written to a church. Titus is one of the pastoral epistles written to Titus. And as Paul wrote to Titus, he gave him directions. In fact, in Titus chapter one, verse five, he says, for this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you. And so this, even though it's not a letter to a church, it does deal with church issues. Church matters. And again, if you search, in the pastoral epistles, you're not finding any directions about the making of coverings or the distribution of coverings. But in chapter two, there's some instructions given that I think are very applicable here. Chapter two, beginning verse one, we'll go down to verse eight. He says, but as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love and perseverance. Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may instruct the young women in sensibility to love their husbands, to love their children. to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands so that the word of God will not be slandered. Likewise, urge the younger men to be sensible. In all things, show yourself to be a model of good works with purity and doctrine dignified, sounding word which is irreproachable so that the opponent will be put to shame having nothing bad to say about us. So the older women aren't told to get out there and make coverings for the younger women to pass out at the Bible conferences. To type out a lesson to hand out to others. They're not told to be sure to teach on the subject. But what are they told to do? They're told to teach the younger women and sensibility to love their husbands, to love their children. You don't think that that's a problem in our society when homes are being wrecked and abortion is up in our country? These things have to be taught. Where are they going to learn it? You see, in this text, we have a three-legged stool that must exist in a well-ordered church. And without any one of these legs, proper discipleship will fall. You've got to have elders who will lead in word and in deed You've got to have godly, mature men and women in the church. And you've got to have strong, biblically functioning homes. But it's simple. A lot easier, I guess, just to take a text like 1 Corinthians 11, which again, is important. But if you skip this, And just say to a young woman, make sure you put a covering on your head when you come to church without teaching her to love her husband and her children, without teaching the why behind it, the why behind the covering, without teaching Ephesians 5, Colossians 3, 1 Peter 3, and all these other texts, without going back to Genesis, the order of creation, without teaching to be workers at home, to be kind, to be subject to their own husbands, what happens? Paul wrote it here in the text. He says to the older women or to to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor a slave to much wine, teaching what is good. Verse four, so that they may instruct the young women in sensibility to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God, so that the word of God will not be slandered. King James translated that as blasphemed. The word of God will not be blasphemed. God's word is slandered. It's blasphemed. When we're disobedient on how God has laid it out very clearly in his word for families, when we're disobedient on the subject of headship. Putting a veil on a head when the heart is disobedient doesn't solve the problem. It's hypocrisy. It's hypocrisy. I said it last week and I'll say it again. I'd rather see a church full of women who love the Lord, who love their husbands, love their children, even if their heads are uncovered, than to see a church full of covered heads whose hearts ain't right, bickering and gossiping and causing all sorts of problems at home and in the church. You see? It's very similar to the old circumcision issue. The Jews were talking about, you've got to be circumcised. You've got to be circumcised. Christ came along and said, what about the heart? What about the heart? And while I've heard a lot of sermons on 1 Corinthians 11 at Bible conferences, I think what this country needs is a lot more sermons at conferences about the headship, about the family, the home. I'm not saying we ought to throw out the covering. I believe it. I think the emphasis has been wrong. We gotta make sure we understand the heart behind it. We gotta understand the reason why behind it before we go handing out coverings to people. They need to love their husbands, love their children, be sensible, pure workers at home, subject to their own husbands and so on and so forth. May God help us in these areas to dig into the word of God, not just on the surface, but deep into these things. And even with those brothers who disagree with us on the covering issue, I believe whenever we get into the headship and the family and the woman's place and the man's place and all these things, we find great agreement on these things and to find some some some places where we can quit squabbling over over the the covering and get to work where work needs to be done in this country and with with the current generation and the younger generation as well. Thank you for your attention this morning. May God add a blessing preaching of his word.